Osteospermum plant named &#39;sakost190&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Osteospermum  plant particularly distinguished by having yellow-white flowers with violet-blue to purple centers, compact growth habit and a very vigorous performance under high temperature and humidity levels, is disclosed.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Osteospermum hybrida

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘SAKOST190’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

‘SAKOST190’ originated from a hybridization of the female parent, theproprietary hybrid Osteospermum breeding line ‘V-59’, having pink-whitebicolour flowers (unpatented) and the male parent, the proprietaryhybrid Osteospermum line ‘SL-4’, having a lemon-yellow flower color(unpatented) in a cultivated area (greenhouse) in Kakegawa, Japan.

In 2001, the two Osteospermum lines were crossed and 37 ovules wereremoved from flowers on the female parent and cultured by standard ovuleculture techniques. A total of 10 plantlets were developed. The 10 F₁hybrid plantlets were transplanted to soilless media for greenhouseculture and acclimatization. In 2002, the breeder evaluated the plantsin pots and the plants were creamy pink in flower color and demonstratedvigorous plant growth and earliness to flower. Out of the 10 F₁ lines,the breeder selected line ‘K5-350’ which has a cream to shell pinkflower color with a plant structure with minimal branching, vigorousperformance, earliness to flower and maintains its ability to flowerunder high temperature conditions.

In fall 2003, the line ‘K5-350’ was vegetatively propagated withcuttings and re-evaluated in an open field and a greenhouse. The breederconfirmed the stability of the distinct characteristics of this variety.The selection subsequently was named ‘SAKOST190’ and found to reproducetrue to type in successive generations of asexual propagation fromvegetative cuttings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

1. Yellow-white flowers with violet-blue to purple centers;

2. Compact growth habit; and

3. Very vigorous performance under high temperature and humidity levels.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Osteospermum plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form,foliage and flowers. The photographs are of a plant grown 3 months fromtransplant date and four and a half months from stick date in six inchpots from rooted cuttings in Salinas, Calif. in the spring of 2008. Thecolors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventionalphotographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows the mature inflorescence of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘SAKOST190’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inSalinas, Calif. Data was collected on plants grown approximately threemonths from transplant date and four and a half months from stick dateinto 6-inch pots under greenhouse conditions in Salinas, Calif. Colorreferences are to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety of London (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Compositae.        -   Botanical.—Osteospermum hybrida.        -   Denomination.—‘SAKOST190’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—A hybrid proprietary Osteospermum line            ‘V-59’, having a pink-white bicolor flower (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—A hybrid proprietary Osteospermum line ‘SL-4’,            having a lemon-yellow flower color (unpatented).-   Growth:    -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Cuttings will colonize a            2.5 cm diameter by 2.5 cm tall greenhouse tray cell with            peat-based plant media in approximately four weeks. Cuttings            are dipped in a normal dilution (1:9) of DIP 'N GROW            root-inducing solution in water. The trays are misted hourly            during rooting.        -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—Rooted cuttings            are transplanted to pots with a 16 cm diameter, one plant            per pot. Peat-based growing media is used. The pots are            watered using a 150-200 ppm fertilizer solution using            18-8-18 fertilizer. The soil is allowed to dry between            watering. During the first few weeks after transplanting,            the plants should have evening temperatures around            15°-18° C. for good root growth. When plants reach 7.5 cm to            10.0 cm in height they are pinched back to 5-6 leaves to            promote branching. Spring and summer daytime high            temperatures in Salinas, Calif., where the data was            collected, range from 16° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to bloom from propagation.—Approximately four weeks            when rooted vegetative cuttings are transferred to a 16 cm            diameter pot. Flowering season is all year in the United            States. Vernalization is not required to induce flowering.-   Plant description:    -   -   Habit.—Compact.        -   Life cycle.—Perennial.        -   Form.—Less branching.        -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—23 cm.        -   Width.—40 cm to 45 cm.        -   Roots.—Dense and fibrous.-   Stems:    -   -   General.—Stem is circular in cross section.        -   Internode length.—1.0 cm to 2.0 cm.        -   Stem shape.—Round.        -   Stem diameter.—0.4 cm.        -   Stem color.—RHS 138B (Green).        -   Stem length.—8.0 cm.        -   Pubescence.—Moderate.        -   Pubescence shape.—Linear, short and fuzzy in appearance.        -   Pubescence color.—RHS N155A (White).        -   Anthocyanin color.—RHS N77C (Purple).-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Venation.—Anastomosing.        -   Surface (both surfaces).—Dull.        -   Surface pubescence (both surfaces).—Slight pubescence.        -   Length.—6.0 cm.        -   Width.—3.0 cm.        -   Thickness.—Less than 0.1 cm.        -   Internode length.—1.0 cm.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 138A (Green) Lower surface: RHS            138B (Green).        -   Venation color (both surfaces).—RHS 139D (Green).        -   Petiole.—Length: 6.0 cm Diameter: 2.0 cm Color: RHS 143C            (Yellow-green) Texture and appearance: Slightly pubescent,            dull.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Capitulum (head); disc florets are perfect and ray            florets are carpellate.        -   Flowering habit.—Determinate.        -   Flowering season.—Approximately from February to September.        -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—About 100 to 200            inflorescences per plant at full maturity.        -   Lastingness of flowers.—3 to 4 days.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Seed production.—None observed.        -   Receptacle depth.—1.0 cm.        -   Receptacle diameter.—10.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—8.0 cm.        -   Depth.—2.0 cm to 2.5 cm.        -   Ray floret number.—19 per inflorescence.        -   Disc diameter.—1.5 cm.        -   Disc floret number.—10 to 20 per inflorescence.        -   Peduncle length.—6.0 cm from inflorescence to first node.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Peduncle color.—RHS 143C (Green).        -   Peduncle texture.—Dull, slight pubescence.        -   Phyllaries.—Arrangement: 19 per inflorescence, free,            arranged symmetrically Length: 1.0 cm to 1.5 cm Width: 0.1            cm to 0.2 cm Apex: Acute Base: Attenuate Margin: Entire            Shape: Linear, acute Color (Both surfaces): RHS 138A (Green)            with RHS 143C (Green) at the edge Surface texture (Both            surfaces): Smooth (not pubescent).        -   Bud.—Diameter: 1.0 cm Length: 1.0 cm Shape: Round with            pointed tips Surface texture: Smooth Color: RHS N92B            (Violet-blue) Hardiness: Tough, tolerant to high            temperatures and humidity.-   Ray florets (ligules):    -   -   Corolla.—Only the outer row of florets are the ray florets.        -   Number of ray florets per inflorescence.—19.        -   Length.—4.0 cm to 4.5 cm.        -   Width.—1.0 cm to 1.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 158C (Yellow-white) with RHS N78C            (Purple) at base and RHS N92D (Violet-blue) at the bottom of            the base; streaks of RHS N78D (Purple) on the ray floret and            the tip of the ray floret. Lower surface: RHS 164C            (Greyed-orange) with streaks of RHS N187B (Greyed-purple)            and RHS 93C (Violet-blue) at base.        -   Pubescence.—Glabrous.        -   Ovary.—Superior.        -   Ovary color.—RHS 92A (Violet-blue).        -   Pistil form.—One style with two stigma branches.        -   Pistil length.—0.2 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS N92A (Violet-purple).        -   Stigma shape.—Circular (in cross-section).        -   Stigma length.—0.1 cm.        -   Style color.—RHS N78C (Purple).        -   Style length.—0.3 cm.-   Disc florets:    -   -   Color.—RHS N92B (Violet-blue).        -   Shape.—Tubular.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Surface.—Smooth, shiny.        -   Size.—Length: 0.5 cm Width: 0.7 cm.        -   Stamens.—5, fused into a single tube.        -   Anther color.—RHS N92A (Violet-blue).        -   Anther length.—0.1 cm.        -   Anther shape.—Oval.        -   Pollen color.—RHS 155A (White).        -   Pollen amount.—Moderate.        -   Filament color.—RHS 17A (Yellow-orange).-   Disease and insect resistance: Very disease resistant, however,    plants are susceptible to aphids, thrips, whiteflies and worms.-   Seed and fruit production: None observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN CULTIVARS

‘SAKOST190’ is a distinct variety of Osteospermum owing to its cream toshell-pink flower color, and vigorous, compact growth habit. ‘SAKOST190’is distinguished from its parents primarily by cream to shell-pinkflower color, and vigorous, compact growth habit as described in Table 1(color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,4^(th) edition):

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Male Parent Female ParentCharacteristic ‘SAKOST190’ ‘SL-4’ ‘V-59’ Ray floret (ligule)Yellow-White (RHS Lemon yellow Pink-white color, upper 158C) withViolet-blue bicolor surface: (RHS N92D) and Purple (RHS N78C) at base tobottom of base; streaks of RHS N78D (Purple) on the ray floret and thetip of the ray floret. Performance under Very vigorous Maintains abilityMaintains ability high temperature to bloom under to bloom under andhumid high temperature high humid conditions conditions, but conditions,does lacks tolerance to not maintain high humidity. flowering under hightemperatures.

‘SAKOST190’ is most similar to the Osteospermum plant ‘Sevamil’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 14,708); however, there are differences as described inTable 2 (color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 4^(th) edition):

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘SAKOST190’‘Sevamil’ Ray floret Yellow-White (RHS 158C) with Yellow (RHS 11D)(ligule) color, Violet-blue (RHS N92D) and with Purple (RHS uppersurface: Purple (RHS N78C) at base to 79B to RHS 79C) bottom of base;streaks of towards base. RHS N78D (Purple) on the ray floret and the tipof the ray floret. Ray floret Greyed-Orange (RHS 164C) Yellow (RHS 13B)(ligule) color, with streaks of Greyed-Purple with fine Greyed- lowersurface: (RHS N187B) and Violet-Blue Green longitudinal (RHS 93C) atbase. stripes (RHS 191C to RHS 191D) Disc florets Violet-Blue (RHS 92B)Purple (RHS 79A) color Performance Very vigorous Vigorous under hightemperature and humid conditions

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant as shown anddescribed herein.